Suppose we live in a forest cabin. We may not be able to prevent the arrival of unwanted animals. But we can avoid feeding them, thereby taking away their incentive to return.
A similar dynamic applies to the arrival of sensual urges in our consciousness. When we strive to live a principle-centered life, we start viewing such urges as unwanted. However, despite our not wanting such urges, they still keep coming. Their recurrence may discourage us: “I am so impure; will I ever become purified?”
To counter such discouragement, we need to differentiate between feeling urges and feeding urges. To feel urges means to sense that urges are rising in our consciousness. Why do such urges arise? Because of outer perception of tempting objects or inner recollection of past indulgences or, most commonly, an indeterminate combination of both. Such triggering of urges is often inevitable. But it can be inconsequential, provided we don’t feed those urges.
Feeding urges means investing our consciousness in them, letting our emotion and imagination engage with those urges, till they grow into intentions. When we act according to those intentions, we indulge physically, thereby increasingly implicating ourselves in the chain of events that lead to future relapses.
The Bhagavad-gita (05.23) points to the difference between feeling and feeding urges when it declares that if we tolerate our urges, we can become spiritually situated and satisfied.
How can we stop feeding our urges even when we feel them? By intelligence and intention. By intelligently differentiating between feeling and feeding urges. And by intentionally directing our attention toward something meaningful and fulfilling, such as the service of the all-attractive supreme, Krishna, thereby transcending those urges.
Think it over:
- Why do urges arise?
- What is the difference between feeling and feeding urges?
- How can we stop feeding urges even when we feel them?
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beautiful example, Prabhuji /\
Thy myth that we will get fed up one day if we indulge is not right. The more we indulge the more we are getting subservient to those urges. Restraining our base urges that is just to satisfy our senses leads to greatest freedom. Thus we can focus on what is the most important activity that can give us permanent happiness rather than falling prey to temporary escapades that lead us to great misery in the long run.